Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords! • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#11

Post by kolis » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 5:41 PM UTC

naish wrote: post #4

cubedice wrote: post #3

At work so I can't actually demo. However, the video looked nice. One thing I noticed is that the tabs correctly displayed minor chords while the text simply said B or F# (implying major). Additionally, how good is it at picking up alternate tunings (i.e. down a half step a la hendrix) or obscure jazz chords? I suppose I can just wait until I get home to try it out, so maybe I'll report back then...

From what I can see, major chords are displayed in uppercase, minor chords in lowercase. e.g., E for E major; e for E minor.

Correct

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#12

Post by kolis » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 5:42 PM UTC

danielrhammond wrote: post #9

I would have bought this right now if it existed for mac/iTunes. I'm a music student when I'm not an entrepreneur. Sounds like a good idea just poor market selection.

This is in our plans to have Mac support.

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#13

Post by tlrobinson » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 5:44 PM UTC

Neat! I agree with others you should make an iTunes plugin, or perhaps even a standalone app with more features to help learn songs, like http://supermegaultragroovy.com/products/Capo/

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#14

Post by kolis » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 5:45 PM UTC

zandorg wrote: post #8

I know from experience that Winamp plugins are hard to make money from. I also know a guy who put out a CD burning plugin. To distill his email: X 30,000 downloads and 10 copies sold X The French don't pay for software X On average, more Americans pay registration fees than other people (eg, French) X Have a time-limit (which you have) so people have to pay X (my own experience) Cracking groups rarely pirate Winamp p…

Only winamp supports DSP API, so you could mix chords to actual song. Rest players are less open, but more popular. We are thinking to support other media players without mix functionality

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#15

Post by dc2k08 » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 5:54 PM UTC

I'm excited about this and want it to work. I recently paid an online sheet music service for one piece of sheet music and was miffed to discover that I could only print out the piece once. I could choose which key I wanted it in, then the file would no longer be accessible in my account. If my printer jammed, it would be my tough luck - I would need to pay again.

I had imagined it would be stored there forever - that's what I paid the 3.95 for I thought, but sadly no - the publishers will not allow it. People complain about digital music but the world of sheet music is even more bizarro. Hopefully apps like this might shake up the business.

Having played with it for a minute, it looks decent and something I think I will be shelling out the 19.95 for. I thought that piano/guitar mode would be tabs/notation but it is to choose which instrument accompanies the song. Still, I'm impressed. I hope it evolves.

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#16

Post by mstefff » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 6:04 PM UTC

just chords or notes? just chords seems pointless in my opinion. plus anyone who really plays the guitar will use something like guitar pro and just download free tablature - which is probably the best solution out there.

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#17

Post by 10ren » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 6:09 PM UTC

Does it really infer them using DSP from the mp3 - or does it look them up? If the former - that's very cool, though I wonder about the accuracy. It would be good to have way to try it out online.

Making it a webapp would make it much easier to trial, it wouldn't be narrowed to one app (winamp) - and piracy goes away. On the downside, you'd doing all that DSP on the server instead of spread over the clients.

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#18

Post by kolis » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 6:10 PM UTC

mstefff wrote: post #16

just chords or notes? just chords seems pointless in my opinion. plus anyone who really plays the guitar will use something like guitar pro and just download free tablature - which is probably the best solution out there.

This is not solution to pro, rather to beginners. It might take a while (forever?) to find chords for not so popular song.

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#19

Post by kolis » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 6:14 PM UTC

10ren wrote: post #17

Does it really infer them using DSP from the mp3 - or does it look them up? If the former - that's very cool, though I wonder about the accuracy. It would be good to have way to try it out online. Making it a webapp would make it much easier to trial, it wouldn't be narrowed to one app (winamp) - and piracy goes away. On the downside, you'd doing all that DSP on the server instead of spread over the clients.

We actually analyze the mp3, no need for Winamp DSP at this stage. WE need DSP to mix chords to song, so you hear exact place.

we are working on some web based application, down side is that you have to be connected.

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup - Chords!

#20

Post by kolis » Tue, Jun 02, 2009, 6:15 PM UTC

dc2k08 wrote: post #15

I'm excited about this and want it to work. I recently paid an online sheet music service for one piece of sheet music and was miffed to discover that I could only print out the piece once. I could choose which key I wanted it in, then the file would no longer be accessible in my account. If my printer jammed, it would be my tough luck - I would need to pay again. I had imagined it would be stored there forever - tha…

Thank you. I am glad you liked it.